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Sudiksha Konanki Search: Natalee Holloway's Mom Addresses Key Difference successful Her Daughter's Case
More details astir Sudiksha Konanki's disappearance are coming to light.
As authorities proceed to hunt for the University of Pittsburgh pupil who went missing March 5 during a outpouring interruption travel successful the Dominican Republic, a cardinal witnesser shared his brushwood with her connected the beach.
The man—who is not considered a fishy by the Dominican Republic authorities—said that helium and his person met Konanki and her friends aft coming backmost to the Riu República Resort from a party. (Virgina's Loudon County Sheriff's Office—where her household lives—has nary jurisdiction implicit the lawsuit but has sent detectives to Punta Cana to assistance connected the U.S. side. The Loudon County authorities have besides identified the unnamed antheral arsenic a idiosyncratic of interest.)
Loudoun County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Thomas Julia told NBC News that a idiosyncratic of involvement "is not the aforesaid happening arsenic a fishy arsenic this is not a transgression matter. It is inactive a missing idiosyncratic case."
"We each went to the bar," the witnesser told the Dominican Republic investigators successful a March 12 interrogation obtained by NBC News. "We had drinks, ordered immoderate shots, and idiosyncratic suggested we spell to the beach."
The witnesser shared successful the interrogation that aft removing his belongings and putting them connected a chair, helium and Konanki went into "waist-deep water" wherever they were "talking and kissing a little."
He said that "a large wave" came and swept them into the current. He noted, "As soon arsenic we were capable to surface, we tried to telephone for help, but determination was nary 1 there." (A Riu spokesperson told People successful an email March 11 that reddish flags were placed connected the formation earlier the incidental arsenic a informing of "strong existent and precocious waves.”)
As a certified lifeguard, the witnesser told authorities that helium "grabbed" Konanki and "held her" nether his limb arsenic helium tried to aquatics backmost to shore. He said helium "kept trying to get her to breathe" arsenic helium pulled them backmost to the formation but struggled to drawback his enactment simultaneously.
Cristina Arias/Cover/Getty Image
"I swallowed a batch of water," helium shared. "I could person mislaid consciousness respective times. When I yet reached the crushed connected the beach, I pulled her successful beforehand of me. She went to stitchery her belongings since the oversea had moved us."
"She wasn't retired of the water, arsenic it was up to our knees," helium continued. "She was walking astatine an space successful the water. The past clip I saw her, I asked if she was OK. I didn't perceive her reply due to the fact that I started vomiting each the seawater I'd swallowed."
The witnesser explained that after, helium looked astir and "didn't spot anyone" connected the beach, truthful helium thought she grabbed her belongings and left.
"I felt truly atrocious and tired," helium recalled. "I laid down connected a formation seat and fell dormant due to the fact that I couldn't spell far. Then I woke up due to the fact that of the prima and mosquito bites. I went to my friend's country to get my phone, and past I went to my country to sleep."
Facebook/Defensa Civil La Altagracia
He said that his person asked him if helium knew wherever Konanki was the adjacent day, to which helium replied, "I thought she had gone to her room," but his person told him she ne'er returned.
While 3 Dominican officials adjacent to the probe told ABC News they judge Konanki died by drowning—no assemblage has been recovered—Loudon County Sheriff Mike Chapman is determined to find a conclusive answer.
"I deliberation it's mode excessively premature to marque an presumption similar that," helium said connected NewsNation's Banfield March 10. "There has been nary sighting of her successful immoderate capableness here. So, it's precise important that we spell done each this similar we bash immoderate elaborate investigation. We are moving intimately with Dominican authorities."
Read connected for much astir Konanki's disappearance.
(E! News and NBC News are portion of the NBCUniversal family.)
Facebook / Sudiksha Konanki
Where Did Sudiksha Konanki Travel to for Spring Break?
Sudiksha Konanki traveled to the Dominican Republic connected March 3.
Facebook / Sudiksha Konanki
Who Did Sudiksha Konanki Travel With?
The 20-year-old headed to the Dominican Republic with 5 friends to observe the Universtiy of Pittsburgh's outpouring break.
Cristina Arias/Cover/Getty Image
Where Was Sudiksha Konanki Staying?
Konanki had been staying astatine the Hotel Riu Palace Punta Cana, an all-inclusive resort.
Following her disappearance, the edifice told NBC News, "We person been moving intimately with the section authorities, including the constabulary and the navy, to behaviour a thorough search. We would similar to explicit our deepest sympathy to the household and friends during this incredibly hard clip … we are afloat committed to doing everything successful our powerfulness to assistance successful this situation."
TikTok/Sudiksha Konanki
When Was Sudiksha Konanki Reported Missing?
Konanki was reported missing connected March 6 aft her friends returned from a formation locomotion without her. It is believed to person disappeared betwixt the hours of 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. that morning.
Facebook/Defensa Civil La Altagracia
When Did Search and Rescue Efforts Begin for Sudiksha Konanki?
Following her disappearance, section officials began an investigation. Local civilian defence confirmed it had begun searches connected onshore and by sea, portion a spokesperson for the Sheriff's Officy successful Loudoun County successful Virigina—where Konanki was from—told NBC News investigations included obtaining video, going done cellphone grounds and talking to radical who were with Konanki.
Facebook/Defensa Civil La Altagracia
What Do Officials Believe May Have Happened to Sudiksha Konanki?
On March 9, officials told ABC News they judge Konanki died by drowning.
According to a constabulary report, cited by ABC News, during the locomotion connected the beach, astir of the radical decided to spell backmost to the edifice astatine immoderate constituent during the nighttime portion 1 person remained with Konanki. The brace reportedly decided to spell for a swim, and the constabulary study notes the brace were caught by a large wave.
Officials reportedly said the friends who had been with Konanki were questioned by constabulary but had not been charged with anything.
Facebook/Defensa Civil La Altagracia
What Has Sudiksha Konanki’s Family Said About the Case?
Following Konanki’s disappearance, her father Subbarayudu Konanki told CNN his girl had been traveling earlier opening pre-med studies.
“My girl is simply a precise bully girl," helium said. "She’s ambitious. She wanted to prosecute a vocation successful medicine.”
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